FAMU Baseball Splits with NC A&T

Tallahassee - On the day the rest of the FAMU campus was celebrating graduation, sixth-year senior, David Duncan pitched a complete game shutout in the game two win of Saturday’s doubleheader. Florida A&M (20-24, 12-10 MEAC) split the two games with North Carolina A&T (16-31, 9-14 MEAC), 7-3 and 1-0, as game one went twelve innings at Moore-Kittles Field. The 12 MEAC wins ties the school record (2003) for the most MEAC wins in the regular season.

Duncan (4-4) pitched seven strong scoreless innings in the game two win with seven strikeouts and no walks, while the Aggies scattered five hits. William Carrasco (3-5) took the loss in game one after allowing four runs, one earned, with two walks and two strikeouts. Carrasco had a season-long relief outing with five innings of work.

Bennie Robinson went 3-for-5 with one RBI in game one to lead the FAMU offense.

The Rattlers scored first in game one with three runs in the bottom of the second inning. Ryan Hutson reached on a fielder’s choice and Logan Seymour was hit-by-pitch to put runners on first and second with two outs. Jared Walker, who hadn’t had an at bat in 13 games due to a hand injury, roped a two-run double to left and Robinson followed with an RBI single to account for the early FAMU 3-0 lead.

A&T tied the game with three runs of their own in the top of the sixth inning. The Aggies recorded four straight hits to start the sixth inning, including an RBI single from Cameron Jergens and an RBI double from Brandon Wilkerson to cut the FAMU lead to 3-2. With runners on the corners and one out, FAMU starter Chase Jarrell hit Stefan Jordan with a pitch to load the bases. Brandon Fleming would then come in to relieve Jarrell with one out. Wilkerson scored the tying run as Ryan Hill beat out the throw to first, on a would-be double play. Fleming would then strike out Brandon Mitchell to end the inning.

FAMU worked the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth but failed to plate a run, as the score remained 3-3. Jeremy Barlow singled and advanced to second as the throw to second wasn’t in time on a sac bunt attempt. Hutson followed with another sac bunt attempt to move Barlow to third, but an errant throw to third allowed Barlow to reach safely and load the bases. After Seymour lined out to third, Walker grounded into the rare 6-2-5 double play to end the Rattler scoring threat.

North Carolian A&T also loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, but was unable to score.Florida A&M squandered another scoring opportunity in the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded again. Robinson was walked on four pitches to start the FAMU seventh and Gibbs laid down an attempted sac bunt, but another throwing error allowed the runners to advance to second and third. Michael Birdsong was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out to set up the double play. Barlow then did exactly what A&T had hoped for as he grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

The Aggies grabbed the lead for good, at 7-3, with four runs, only one earned, on three hits and a Rattler error in the 12th inning. With the bases loaded and what would have been a sac fly to right for Lester Salcedo, turned into an error by right fielder Seymour that allowed McMillan and Tendler to score what proved to be the game winning runs.

In game two, FAMU and A&T took a scoreless game into the sixth inning but the Rattlers scored all they needed with one run in the bottom of the inning. Hutson and Weeks drew consecutive walks to put runners on first and second with one out. Hutson tagged up to go to third as Ferdinand Rondon flew out to right. Peter Jackson’s, two-out, game winning RBI single just past the glove of Aggie second baseman Kyle Clary was enough to score Hutson for the only run of the game and the final score of 1-0.

A&T reliever Luke McCreesh (2-0) earned the win in game one while Aggie starter Tyler Boone (2-7) suffered the loss in game two.

Game two Aggie starter Tyler Boone allowed one run, but walked six batters in six innings of work for the no decision.

The Rattlers and Aggies close out their MEAC regular season conference schedule on Sunday at 1:00 pm at Moore-Kittles Field.

As always, fans can follow Rattler Baseball on Twitter @FAMUAthletics and live stats will be available via www.FAMUAthletics.com.

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